Politics · Turkey · 1 hr ago
Turkey and EU discuss agriculture, trade and rural funding
Turkey’s agriculture minister, İbrahim Yumaklı, met the EU’s agriculture commissioner, Christophe Hansen, in Ankara for the third Turkey-EU high-level agriculture dialogue.
They discussed food security, farm and rural development policies, trade and the future of IPARD, an EU-backed programme supporting rural projects in Turkey.
Yumaklı said conflict, climate change, water stress and extreme weather are putting pressure on food supplies and farming.
He said IPARD has supported about 27,000 projects and brought €3.4 billion in investment into Turkey’s economy, while providing jobs for more than 107,000 people.
Turkey’s farm trade with the EU reached about $11.4 billion in the first nine months of 2026, up 10.7% from the same period a year earlier.
Turkey wants IPARD cooperation and increased funding to continue from 2028 to 2034, to support young farmers, women entrepreneurs and rural businesses.
The two sides also discussed improving market access and protecting geographical indications, and Yumaklı said he wants their agriculture dialogue to continue regularly.
Türkiye and the European Union discussed food security, agricultural trade and rural development at their third High-Level Agricultural Dialogue meeting.
Turkish Agriculture and Forestry Minister İbrahim Yumaklı said Türkiye plays a key role in food supply security in Europe and the surrounding region.
He said the UN-backed Black Sea Grain Initiative had helped more than 33 million tonnes of grain and food products reach world markets.
The sides discussed improving market access and developing preferential trade arrangements for agricultural and processed agricultural products.
Yumaklı called for continued IPARD support and increased funding for Türkiye in the 2028–2034 period.
- Who
- Turkish Agriculture and Forestry Minister İbrahim Yumaklı and European Commission Agriculture Commissioner Christophe Hansen took part.
- What
- They held the third Türkiye–EU High-Level Agricultural Dialogue and discussed food security, agricultural trade, rural development and IPARD.
- When
- The meeting was reported on 2 November 2026.
- Where
- The meeting was held at the General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works in Türkiye.
- Why
- The sides discussed strengthening agricultural cooperation and food supply security amid conflict, climate change and pressure on supply corridors.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Türkiye’s agricultural exports to the EU reached $8.3 billion, according to Yumaklı.
Bilateral agricultural trade volume rose 10.7% year on year to about $11.4 billion, Yumaklı said.
Türkiye and the EU held their third High-Level Agricultural Dialogue meeting.
- IPARD projects
- About 27,000 supported to date
- IPARD investment
- €3.4 billion brought into Türkiye’s economy
- IPARD jobs
- More than 107,000 people offered employment opportunities
- EU-registered Turkish products
- 46 registered; 8 more awaiting final registration
- Black Sea Grain Initiative
- More than 33 million tonnes of grain and food products reached world markets
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What people are saying
Türkiye, with its strong production capacity, geographical location and logistics infrastructure, plays a key role in the food supply security of Europe and our region.
We appreciate Türkiye's determined and sustainable initiatives to support food security, including its efforts to facilitate the safe passage of grain through the Black Sea.